Pen-enabled computing is a relatively recent development wherein a user interfaces with a computing system by way of a writing stylus and writing surface instead of a mouse or a keyboard. The writing surface may comprise, for example, a blank sheet of paper or a preprinted form. The writing stylus, in turn, may comprise a device capable of inputting data (a “handwriting input”) into the pen-enabled computing system while providing both a visible, or “written ink,” copy of the data on the writing surface and an “electronic” copy of the data within the pen-enabled computing system. Such a writing stylus may comprise, for example, a conventional pen, a conventional pencil, a radio transmitter, a magnetic or electric field device, an optical device, an ultrasound transceiver, or combinations thereof.
Once the electronic copy of the data is entered into the pen-enabled computing system, the data may be stored as an “electronic ink” copy, wherein the handwriting input is captured as written, or as a “text” copy, wherein the handwriting input is captured, recognized, and translated into the corresponding text. In some instances, the pen-enabled computing system may be capable of producing both an electronic ink and a text copy of the handwriting input. Since the writing stylus is generally capable of providing a written ink copy of the handwriting input on the writing surface, the user is automatically provided with a hard copy, or visual feedback, of the entered data. It is understood, however, that a written ink copy of the handwriting input may not be provided in some instances, wherein the handwriting input is only captured and stored in the pen-enabled computing system as an electronic copy. Examples of pen-enabled computing devices include the Tablet PC offered by Microsoft Corporation, as well as any of a number of digital pens enabling Anoto functionality developed by Anoto AB of Lund, Sweden. In this regard, digital pens enabling Anoto functionality include, for example, digital pens offered by Logitech Inc., Nokia Corporation, Hitachi Maxell Ltd. and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB.
Typically, the pen-enabled computing system senses the position and/or movement of the writing stylus with respect to the writing surface, which is stored in the pen-enabled computing system as a series of electronic ink data points constituting the handwriting input. In these systems, the electronic ink data points consist of, or are converted to, sets of Cartesian coordinates representing points along the path of the writing stylus as it moves with respect to the writing surface. The handwriting input is often then desirably used for other purposes. However, for the handwriting input to be subsequently utilized, it is often translated from the user's handwriting to text form. While text translation schemes may facilitate practical uses for the handwritten data, they are often not able to accurately translate the user's handwriting. In addition, translation routines may require additional processing and storage capacity which could be used for other purposes and may add size and cost to the pen-enabled computing system.
Some conventional pen-enabled computing systems have been developed that interact with preprinted forms or other objects to which handwriting input may be associated. These systems typically include a pen-enabled computing device including a writing stylus and a handwriting capture interface, as such may be embodied in a digital pen. The digital pen is capable of cooperating with the preprinted form to permit data input into the various fields of the form to be captured and processed. In addition to one or more pieces of information (e.g., fields of a form), the writing surface of the preprinted form of one typical arrangement includes a preprinted pattern of machine-readable dots or other markings. The writing stylus and handwriting capture interface can then cooperate with one another, and the preprinted pattern, to determine the position of the writing stylus with respect to the writing surface of the preprinted form to thereby detect and capture handwriting input to associate with the preprinted form, and if so desired, further based upon portion(s) of the writing surface receiving handwriting input. Further, in addition to facilitating determination of the position of the writing stylus, the preprinted pattern of one conventional arrangement also permits identification of the nature or identity of the preprinted form, page of a multi-page preprinted form or the like. In this regard, each different preprinted form and/or page of a preprinted form can include a different pattern printed thereon, where the pattern is associated with the form and/or page. Thus, in addition to determining the position of the writing stylus with respect to the writing surface of a preprinted form, the pen-enabled computing system may also identify the form and/or page of the form based upon the preprinted pattern.
Whereas conventional pen-enabled computing systems are adequate in performing a number of different functions with respect to handwriting input, such systems may also have drawbacks. For example, a number of conventional pen-enabled computing systems do not provide adequate user interaction to guide a user through use of the respective systems. More particularly, for systems that require the user to perform one or more steps in a specific, predetermined order to properly effectuate use of the pen-enabled computing systems, conventional systems often require the user to know the sequence and do not adequately inform the user when the user performs one or more steps out of sequence. Further, although a preprinted pattern of dots or other markings may adequately enable identification of a particular preprinted form and/or page of a form, in various instances it may be undesirable to provide unique preprinted patterns for each different form and/or page. For example, a printer or other facility for printing such preprinted forms may only be capable of printing a limited number of different patterns, thus restricting the number of different forms and/or pages that may be associated therewith. Also, for example, it may be more costly for a printer or other facility to print preprinted forms with an increasing number of different patterns, and correspondingly, for an end user to acquire such preprinted forms.